Essie – Encrusted Treasures 2013 Collection

Opulent. Romantic. Decadent. Luxurious. Magical. Any one of these words will do to describe this collection, but in all fairness, you’d really should use them all to be accurate.

Back in March of this year, I was given a few sly hints that Essie was about to release a collection with an assortment of new textured finishes, but I was so not prepared by how much I would be blown away by the six shades of this ‘Encrusted Treasures’ Collection. Inspired by the luxe touches seen on the runways – gemstones, lace, gold & silver embroidery, as well as every other embellishment you can possibly imagine, this group brings all that magnificence to your nails. Not just texture, but a whole new dimension of sculptural finishes.

With textured/glitter lacquers, there are obviously many options in how to wear them, but I’ve chosen to show all six in their natural state – not layered over any other base colour. All swatches are over Essie’s All In One base coat.

WARNING: Picture-heavy post, so get comfy before diving in … (seriously, these shades simply cannot be shown to full effect with just a couple of pictures each)

Essie – Encrusted Treasures

Belugaria – “holographic jet black lace” – a mid sheer charcoal base, filled with round black glitter “debris” and medium sized hyper-reflective holographic hexagonal glitter pieces (phew … what a mouthful!). Looking every inch like you layered the finest black Beluga Caviar across your nails – with some prismatic chunks thrown in for fun – this shade can have top coat added for a glossy look, although you’ll need many layers to achieve a smooth finish. I definitely prefer this in its natural state, as it is UNBELIEVABLE – a little bit punk, hints of sexy goth, and oozing luxury to the nth degree. SHOCKING BONUS: super easy to remove, with absolutely no staining left behind. This shade is total LOVE ♥ Coats applied: 2

TIP: Try layering one coat of Belugaria over a black crème base for a look with less volume.

Essie – Belugaria

Essie – Belugaria (with flash)

Essie – Belugaria

Essie – Belugaria (top coat added)

Peak So Chic – “alpine white holographic rainbow fringe” – A clear base that is loaded with white and holographic bar micro glitter. Definitely best if layered over a solid base hue (I prefer keeping it white on white for that ‘snow queen’ look), you can always wear this alone, although more coats will be needed for full opacity. Some of the bar glitter may need a little nudging into place, especially near the nail free edge, but I absolutely love the blizzard effect this gives. Dries to a semi-matte finish, with a relatively smooth touch – easy removal. Coats applied: 3, thin

TIP: Adding a matte top coat gives this shade a softly filtered look, while making the holographic pieces really stand out.

Essie – Peak So Chic

Essie – Peak So Chic (macro)

Essie – Peak So Chic

Essie – Peak So Chic (matte)

On A Silver Platter – “pearlescent gold with holographic violet glitter” – A clear base that comes loaded with finely ground antiqued gold and some pink glitter, along with holographic indigo hexagonal glitter pieces, in small & medium sizes thrown in. Can easily be layered over a solid colour, but worn alone, this shade has its own understated and sophisticated touch of bling. A truly “royal” combo, the base hue gives off duo chrome flashes – really, really unique. An amazingly easy formula to work with and while it doesn’t come to a glossy finish, it still bears a mega-watt brilliance. Coats applied: 3, thin

TIP: By layering a matte top coat over this shade, a “sea glass” effect is achieved – love it that way.

Essie – On A Silver Platter

Essie – On A Silver Platter (matte)

Ignite the Night – “sparkling hematite with a superfine matte finish” – A clear base that is totally filled with silver, gunmetal, and brass micro glitter, in a formula that has an excellent flow and viscosity – so ridiculously easy to apply. Depending on the angle, you may even notice some bronze glints – unexpected and definitely eye-catching. Layered over a pewter, silver or grey hue will yield an intense look, but worn alone, this shade packs a major punch. Definitely some elbow grease will be needed for removal, but when a shade is this STUNNING, who cares? And even with a matte finish, the final brilliance is insane! Coats applied: 3, thin

TIP: Top coat will enhance every speck of glitter a million times, while adding a layer of matte top coat gives this shade an elemental ‘granite’ look – either way, it looks absolutely fabulous.

Essie – Ignite the Night

Essie – Ignite the Night (matte)

Hors d’Oeuvres – “platinum gold with iridescent silver glitter” – A clear base filled with pale gold and iridescent silvery ground glitter and larger silver foil-like hexagonal glitter in both small and medium sizes, in an easy-to-apply formula. With a daintier and more “princess” look that ‘On A Silver Platter’, this shade would look absolutely fabulous on those with fair skin (although I find it suits all tones across the board). With its beautiful mix of both silver and gold tones, it manages to stay both cool AND warm leaning. Coats applied: 3, thin

TIP: Try adding a matte top coat for a completely unreal new effect: diffused bling.

Essie – Hors d’Oeuvres

Essie – Hors d’Oeuvres (matte)

Lots of Lux – “shimmering lapis lazuli with an superfine matte finish” – A sapphire base hue with blue, pink, green, and gold finely ground glitter, bearing amazing colour saturation and while the formula might be medium-thick, it still applies very easily. Similar in texture that of OPI’s Liquid Sand finishes, this shade has that fine sandpaper look & feel at the finish, but infused with a ton of sparkle to give it movement and prevent it from looking flat or 1-dimensional. BONUS: non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2

TIP: Adding a top coat takes this shade to a whole new level – multi levels, actually. Simply gorgeous!

Essie – Lots of Lux

Essie – Lots of Lux (blurred to show the sparkle effect)

Essie – Lots of Lux (top coat added)

Essie … oh, Essie … how did you manage to turn this crème-loving, colour purist’s heart like this? I have a confession: when I received this collection and swatched ‘Belugaria’ quickly (on one nail, mind you), I felt totally let-down and thought it looked rather vulgar. So when the time came to do my full-on swatches, I approached that particular shade with mucho skepticism. The lesson here? Never judge a lacquer by a quick 1-finger, slapped together swatch, because I am in LOVE with this shade. It’s one of those that can’t even be properly photographed – you NEED to see this in person, trust me. And I don’t even like glitter/chunky polishes.

Bar glitter, I’m on the fence about – probably because my husband keeps on saying it has a “hairy nails” look, but ultra thin & white like this, it works. There’s not one single shade that isn’t outstanding; from the colours chosen, to the mix of materials, to the uniquely differing finishes and I personally dare you to NOT want to scoop them all. I’m already planning on a ‘Belugaria’ back-up …